THE PLAYBOOK · HNZKBY
Making your first moves in Minesweeper
Start Minesweeper by looking at the playing area and its controls. Open all 71 safe cells. Opening a mine ends the round. Flags help you mark suspected mines but do not replace opening safe cells. Keep the game area visible while you use its controls. Make your first input carefully and watch the result. Choose a clear next step rather than rushing through the instructions.
Practice with a purpose
After a move, check what changed. Decide which rule explains the new state before acting again. Use the example to check your reasoning.
What you are aiming for
Open all 71 safe cells. Opening a mine ends the round. Flags help you mark suspected mines but do not replace opening safe cells. The feedback beside the game helps you follow the round. Review the board or playing area as it changes.
The playing sequence
- Open a covered square to reveal it.
- A number counts mines in the surrounding eight positions.
- Right-click to flag on a computer, or enable Flag mode on a phone.
- Use safe deductions to open the remaining cells.
Input guidance
Click/tap to open. Right-click to flag, or use the Flag mode toggle for touch devices. Use the control method described here for this activity. Make sure you are interacting with the game rather than the surrounding page.
See how the rules apply
A revealed 1 with only one covered neighbour means that neighbour contains a mine. Compare this with the rule that governs the move. Choose a deliberate next step.
A useful caution
A flag is your own note, not a confirmation from the game. Remove a mistaken flag before opening that square. Read the feedback to see why an action did not have the expected result. After a move, check what changed. Decide which rule explains the new state before acting again.
Questions that come up during play
While reading the Guide, what is the goal of Minesweeper?
Keep this in mind: Open all 71 safe cells. Opening a mine ends the round. Flags help you mark suspected mines but do not replace opening safe cells.
While reading the Guide, how do I control Minesweeper?
Here is the relevant explanation: Click/tap to open. Right-click to flag, or use the Flag mode toggle for touch devices.
For this browser game, what example helps explain Minesweeper?
A revealed 1 means exactly one neighbouring square contains a mine. The clue counts diagonal neighbours as well as the squares directly beside it.
While reading the Guide, what should I watch out for in Minesweeper?
Here is the relevant explanation: A flag is your own note, not a confirmation from the game. Remove a mistaken flag before opening that square.
While reading the Guide, what format does Minesweeper offer?
For clarity: Play using the solo mode shown on this page. Read the controls before starting a new round.
While learning, which play mode does Minesweeper use?
The key detail is this: The mode on this page is Solo. Same-device play uses one screen; this game library does not provide internet matchmaking.
